Cuban Mojo Chicken Thighs (Printer-friendly)

Tender chicken thighs in a tangy citrus-garlic mojo marinade, roasted to crispy perfection.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

→ Mojo Marinade

02 - 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
03 - 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
04 - 1/4 cup olive oil
05 - 6 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
11 - Zest of 1 orange

→ Garnish

12 - Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
13 - Lime wedges

# How to Make It:

01 - Whisk together orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, smoked paprika if using, and orange zest in a large bowl until thoroughly combined.
02 - Add chicken thighs to the bowl, turning to coat completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to 6 hours for maximum flavor penetration.
03 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Arrange chicken thighs skin-side up on a baking sheet or in a large roasting pan. Reserve remaining marinade for basting.
04 - Roast for 30–35 minutes, basting once or twice with reserved marinade, until chicken reaches golden brown color and internal temperature hits 165°F.
05 - Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Top with chopped cilantro or parsley and accompany with fresh lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The marinade does all the heavy lifting, infusing the chicken with incredible depth and brightness
  • Crispy skin meets juicy meat in every single bite, exactly how roasted chicken should be
02 -
  • Pat the chicken skin dry before roasting if you want it extra crispy, because moisture is the enemy of crispy skin
  • Boneless thighs work but will cook faster, so start checking for doneness at 20 minutes instead
03 -
  • Use a zester or microplane for the orange zest to get just the colorful outer layer and avoid the bitter white pith
  • Let the chicken come to room temperature for about 20 minutes before roasting for more even cooking

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